Steppin' Out
by Inuzuka-93
Summary: This is mainly a Daikeru fic but there will be chapters about other pairings and will follow their own stories in parallel to the Daikeru one. Steppin Out - TK and Davis. Secret Admirer - Kari. Best Friend - Tai/Matt.
1. Steppin' Out: Jealousy

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or themes present in the following story, it has been written purely to pass the time.

Also, I apologise if any of the characters seem mis-represented.

***** **- indicates a passing of time

**Chapter 1: Jealousy**

The sun was shining outside the stuffy, student-filled classroom. In the centre of the class, the blond haired T.K. leaned on his desk with his head propped up on one hand; beside him Kari was stifling a long, drawn-out yawn.

The brunette turned her gaze towards her fellow, hat-clad digi-destined with admiring eyes – an action which did not go unnoticed by the red-brown haired Davis on her other side.

What has that dumb T.F. - or whatever - got that I don't, Davis was thinking to himself. The goggles atop his head were reflecting the sunlight which was nothing short of being annoying during such a boring class.

***

30 pairs of eyes were watching the clock above the door. 10 seconds.9 seconds. 8 seconds. The moment they had been waiting so long for was finally here. 5 seconds. 4 seconds. T.K., Kari and Davis exchanged looks amongst themselves. 2 seconds. 1 second.

As usual, the school bell did not ring on the time indicated by the clock but it was fun to countdown anyway. Half a minute later the bell to signal the end of the day finally rang.

The three friends found themselves being bumped from all angles as they walked through the crowd outside the school building on the way home.

"Hey Kari," started Davis, "Do you wanna come over to my house today?"

"Oh thanks Davis but I already have plans with T.K. later," Kari replied.

Davis felt his heart sink, why did Kari always reject him for T.K.?

"You're welcome to join us, Davis," said the blond from Kari's other side.

"Nah, I'll pass." Davis and, surprisingly, T.K., both looked disappointed. Davis imagined T.K. and Kari together in front of him and he couldn't help feeling like crying.

"Oh come, Davis," began T.K. "It'll be fun -"

"I SAID NO!" Davis found himself yelling and before he knew it he was running with tears in his eyes.

Why is he always with her, he thought. He suddenly had an outburst of anger and kicked over a nearby trashcan. He was always upset when T.K. and Kari were together but he never understood why he felt that Kari was responsible.

His thoughts of the "date" between his two friends involved T.K. standing in a tuxedo with a bouquet of roses with Kari falling into his arms: "Oh T.K., I love you!"

Every time he thought of Kari he could feel something in the pit of his stomach. Was he jealous of…no – he couldn't be…

Author's Note: Sorry if the ending to this chapter doesn't make much sense but I'm just testing ideas until I decide which way I want the story to unfold.

I'm planning a little more action for the next chapter so it will hopefully be better and probably a lot longer.


	2. Steppin' Out: Kisses and Rejections

Author's note: From this point on I'll be focusing mostly on T.K. but Davis and Kari will still receive some attention.

**Chapter 2: Kisses and Rejections**

T.K. lay on his bed. The apartment was warm from the sun but it felt cold and empty: his mother was working all day again. With a sigh, the teenager stood up and checked the time: he was due to meet Kari in 15 minutes.

He brushed his messy hair forward with his fingers before pulling his trade-mark white hat on top of his head. The image of Davis running from he and Kari was still fresh in his mind and even now, as he thought about it, the sickening feeling he's experienced at the time crept back to him.

Just then, the telephone rang. "I hope Kari doesn't mind if I'm late," T.K. pondered aloud before picking up the receiver. It was Davis's sister.

"Hey T.K.!!! Is your hot brother Matt around?" Jun's girly voice chatted down the phone to him.

"For the last time, Jun, Matt doesn't live here." T.K. sighed.

"It never hurts to try," the older girl continued, T.K. could almost feel her grinning on the other end of the line. "Well anyway, I'll get to the point: my dorky little brother never came home this afternoon, I was wondering if you knew where he was?"

For some reason T.K. was speechless. Why did he feel so afraid all of a sudden? His head was overflowing with worry. In the background he could hear Jun's voice inquiring if he was there but he couldn't concentrate.

He had to make sure Davis was okay.

Slamming down the receiver, T.K. dashed to his bedroom and lifted his digivice before storming out the front door. Davis had to be in the digital world, he just knew it.

T.K. was half way to school when he remembered about his plans with Kari. He had no means of contacting her so he had to turn back and head to the park where they'd arranged to meet.

***

"You're late." Kari stated jokingly upon his arrival, "You look out of breath, what's up, T.K.?"

T.K. opened his mouth to respond but had to bend over to regulate his breathing first.

Still breathing rapidly, T.K. responded between breaths, "Jun…phone…Davis in trouble."

When T.K. could breathe again he explained the situation more fully and they concluded that Davis wouldn't have gone to the digital world alone and decided to search around town for him.

***

"It's no use we'll never find him," Kari complained, "I'm giving up!"

"We can't leave him, he's our friend," T.K. argued.

"He's hardly a friend," the brunette said inwardly but T.K. overheard and he felt himself begin to shake with anger. "Plus, without him here we can finally be alone without having to listen to his whining." As she said this, Kari wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist and pressed her lips to his.

Without warning T.K. pushed away from the teenage girl. "What are you doing?!" He hadn't realised he was yelling. Tears were welling up in his eyes as he looked at his best friend. The kiss had confirmed everything he hadn't wanted to believe.

T.K. had always wanted to love Kari the way she loved him; the way Davis loved her. T.K. hadn't wanted it to be true but he just wasn't attracted to the girl in front of him.

Tears flowed freely from his eyes as he turned and, for the second time that day, Kari could do nothing but watch as one of her friends sprinted away from her in tears.

***

T.K. didn't know how long he'd been running nor how he'd arrived at the football field but he was glad to have finally stopped. Night had fallen and the moon was full and shining above his head. Sitting down on the bone-dry grass, he crossed his legs and leaned back on his hands and looked up at the sky: stars surrounded the blackness of the sky, which was unlike any night sky he'd seen before.

He hadn't noticed as another figure joined him on the grass.

"Shouldn't you been on your date with Kari?" a moody voice sounded through the night.

The startled T.K. turned to look upon the intruder, he couldn't help but feel better after seeing tanned friend, "It wasn't a date Davis, and we're just friends."

"Yeah right," T.K. heard Davis mutter.

Standing up, T.K. yelled, "What's your problem, Davis?!"

Davis replied, also standing, "You are!"

Before they knew it the two teenagers were on the ground wrestling. Davis had T.K. in a headlock as they heard a ringing from their pockets. Both digivices were flashing uncontrollably and then the strangest thing happened: the football field, the grass, the moon, the starry night all disappeared and the two boys found themselves in a vast forest.

"Where are we?" Davis asked.

"You're clothes have changed," T.K. said pointing to Davis, "we must be in the digital world."

It didn't matter that they had been fighting less than five minute ago, in the digital world, although they weren't "friends", they were a team.


	3. Steppin' Out: Courage

**AN: sorry it's taken so long to get round to publishing this chapter. I got lazy. Sorry to anyone, who is interested in this story, that I've kept you waiting. Hope it's not too disappointing.**

**Chapter 3: Courage**

Davis had started walking away already. T.K. wanted to speak up and apologise but found that he could do nothing but follow in silence; Davis wanted to turn around and just throw himself into T.K.'s arms in a wordless "sorry".

Davis mentally slapped himself – it wasn't cool to hug other guys, especially the blond digidestined behind him – what was he thinking?

"Veemon?" his voice echoed through the forest before he's even realise he'd spoken. "Veeeeeeeemon!!?" Unfortunately, Davis's partner was nowhere to be seen; Patamon also appeared to be elsewhere.

"Where do you think they are?" T.K. asked without thinking.

"I don't know, T.I - " Davis replied

"T.K.!" the blond corrected him, "It's T.K." Davis loved the cute, frustrated look which T.K. never failed to make whenever he said his name wrong. It was this look that brought the smile to his face just then, the smile which was followed by an outburst of laughter from both boys. "Davis, I'm sorry about earlier, I overreacted."

"Nah, it's not your fault, T.K., I'm sorry."

Davis made to hug T.K. but decided, instead, on extending his arm for a hand shake, a hand shake which T.K. decided to ignore and pulled the other boy into a tight squeeze. It was only then that T.K. remembered how cold the digital world was at night.

"T.K." Davis said, breaking the hug and stepping back, "you're shaking." Davis took off his jacket and flung it around his friend's shoulders.

"Thanks, Davis." T.K. could already feel the heat rushing back into his body, his heart was pounding.

"We should find somewhere to wait 'til morning," Davis suggested, a cave would be handy about now, he thought…

* * *

Still walking through the forest, the boys took the time to regard their surroundings: you could never be sure what the digital world had in store for you. As they continued to move, they heard a loud mechanical-sounding groan of hinges from behind them and felt the ground beneath them vibrate before giving way. The boys fell through the ground, landing on top of what appeared to be a bus.

"What the heck?" exclaimed Davis, rubbing his arm which he'd come down on. Looking up, they could see a sky-coloured trap door closing and disappearing from view.

"This place never fails to amaze me." T.K. heard a familiar voice speak from behind him.

"PATAMON!" T.K. jumped up as his partner flew into his arms before taking his usual position on top of his head. "I missed you!"

Davis looked across at the blond digidestined and his partner. "You've never missed me like that," he whispered to himself and was shocked that the words had escaped his mouth.

"Davis, what's wrong?" Patamon's came from sing-song voice.

"Yeah, you look like you've just seen a ghost, man."

Davis smiled, "It's nothing, and I'm just tired," he shivered, "do you think we could stay in this bus tonight?"

With that, the boys jumped down from atop the bus and entered it through the door. They automatically moved to the back of the bus where they sat down. "Hey, Patamon, you don't know where Veemon is, do you?" Davis asked.

"No, I haven't seen him but I can go look around while you guys sleep, if you want?" Patamon replied.

"That'd be great, Patamon, is that alright with you, T.K.?" Davis waited for a response then realised that his friend had already fallen asleep. Patamon had already gone when Davis fell asleep at the opposite side of the back seat.

* * *

During the night, Davis woke up. He was cold. He glanced over at the sleeping teenager opposite him. His heart raced as he crept up beside him and swung an arm around him. T.K. smiled in his sleep before snuggling into the boy beside him. Davis exhaled a sigh of relief and drifted back off to the land of sleep.


	4. Steppin' Out: Waking Up

**AN: Sorry it took so long to update, I had a few minor technical issues which have been resolved. I will, hopefully, be more frequent with updates from now on. Thanks to any followers for reading, you guys never fail to brighten my day =]**

**Chapter 4: Waking Up **

Light streamed in through the back window of the bus. Everything was motionless except for the slow rise and fall of the boys' chests. TK was close to waking up: he could feel the heat from where the light landed on his cheek; he could feel breathing, hot on the back of his neck.

TK's eyes shot open as he realised that Davis had his arms around him. TK's heart was beating rapidly; he had butterflies in his stomach. When did this happen, he thought to himself before turning gently to face the boy behind him.

Davis's eyes were closed; his goggles lay askew on his head, which TK raised a hand to fix and found himself tracing the outlines of Davis's face. His skin was soft and the contact made TK's butterflies do back flips. He couldn't understand why, but Davis looked so…so…cute? TK's mind, like his heart, was racing.

Davis's breaths were falling on TK's face as he was struck with the impulse to get closer to his sleeping friend. He followed Davis's example as his arms snaked their way around Davis's waist. Their foreheads pressed together, TK drifted off to sleep again.

*** * ***

_**Davis's Dream (Davis's POV)**_

_I can see them together in front of me. Why does she love him so much? I stand on the empty road and watch as Kari and TK walk, hand-in-hand, away from me. It's raining so hard, I can't stand it. Why don't they notice the rain? Why am I so jealous again!? I just want to pull them apart, to finally stand a chance. She can have him then! _

_Wait, that's not what I meant. Is it?_

_My face feels warm all of a sudden. All of the envy in my body has gone and I feel all light and fuzzy. The rain stops. TK and Kari let go of each other and the three of us are suddenly at a crossroad... _

_*** * ***_

Davis awoke, breathing rapidly. His cheeks were wet, had he been crying in his sleep? He didn't remember how his dream had ended but he couldn't help but feel relieved to see TK beside him, to see that he was safe in his embrace.

The blond boy grunted in his sleep as his eyes flickered and opened.

"Morning," TK said drowsily.

Davis did not respond but, instead, pulled TK into a tight hug.

"Um…Davis," TK began, "Where did the bus go?"

Both boys were suddenly alert as they found themselves lying, not on the bus in the digital world, where they'd fallen asleep, but on the damp grass of the football field where they'd had their argument.

Sitting bolt upright, Davis looked at the surroundings. It was morning. How long had they been gone?

"What time is it?" TK asked, slightly panicked before checking his phone. His eyes shot wide open as he jumped to his feet and, pulling Davis along with him, ran towards home.

"TK!" Davis yelped in surprise, "What's the rush?"

Still running, TK explained that they were going to be late for school.

This means we were gone all through the night, Davis thought and was hit with the sudden pain that it was likely that nobody had even noticed his disappearance. He was also, suddenly aware that TK's hand was closed around his wrist, resulting in a reddening of his cheeks.

* * *

The boys arrived at TK's apartment block exhausted and opted to take the elevator up to TK's floor. After the doors closed and the little, silver box started its ascent, the atmosphere became silent. Davis could feel his heartbeat through his chest. He felt warm despite his quivering body.

"Hey you're all wet," he said, noticing TK's drenched clothing and feeling his own. TK shrugged, which turned into a shiver.

"I'm col-," he started and his eyes widened as Davis's lips were suddenly on his own.

His hands around TK's wrists at their waists, his eyes closed, his heart pounding, Davis had pressed his lips onto TK's.

**AN: Warning - it's going to get a bit crazy in the next chapter so I'll apologise in advance for ruining the moment :P **


	5. Steppin' Out: Confusion

**AN:** This chapter was tough, since not much really happens, but I felt it was necessary to portray TKs thoughts and feelings since I've been neglecting him a little, recently :P

**Chapter 5: Confusion**

The kiss had lasted only a few seconds before Davis backed away, looking at the floor.

TK could practically feel his chest vibrating as his heart shifted into overdrive. His fingertips traced the point of contact for a brief moment and he jumped as the elevator bell announced their arrival at his floor.

As soon as the doors had slid open, Davis was gone. TK stood, alone in the elevator shocked by what had just happened. It took him a few seconds to realise that Davis was no longer with him and, as soon as he did, he bolted after him.

No use. Davis was gone.

"What just happened?" TK questioned aloud before sighing and traipsing to his front door where he met his mother leaving for work.

"Takeru, shouldn't you be at school by now?" she asked him, her voice held an uninterested tone, as if she was only asking according to regulation. "Did you forget something?"

_Huh, go figure; she never missed me, _thought TK feeling slightly down. "Uh, yeah, I left my math books", he replied, it wasn't as if she was going to notice a lie.

Without another word, TK's mother departed. TK shrugged before whispering sarcastically to himself, "Nice to see you too." He opened the door to find the apartment in its usual messy state: shoes lay in a heap at the doormat, in some cases there was a left without a right and vice-versa; unorganised documents were strewn over every surface of the living room; the previous night's dinner plates lay, un-washed, on the kitchen counter and, of course, the contents of the over-flowing laundry basket were leaking onto the floor.

TK mentally noted that he had to tidy up after school then jogged to the bathroom to shower. After having turned on the shower, he stood by the sink to wait for it to heat up. Looking in the mirror, TK's mind wandered to the night before. He remembered yelling at Kari and running away from her and felt shame wash over his whole body. He remembered the kiss she'd forced upon him and his shame was replaced with irritation. He the remembered the kiss he'd shared with Davis moments ago and his irritation was replaced by another feeling, one which he couldn't explain.

To TK, a kiss had always been just that: a kiss. Always, that was, until now. He'd never felt anything from Kari's kisses, well he'd begun to feel annoyed by them after a while. Despite the expectations of his friends, TK had no feelings for Kari. He loved her, of course, but he could never be _in _love with her, could he?

His face, in the mirror, had been erased by the steam from the shower. His mind still racing, TK turned and slowly began to undress, stripping each item of clothing from his body between thoughts: hat - _Kari is in love with me;_ shirt – _everyone wants us to get together;_ socks – _does anyone care what I want; _belt – _Davis kissed me; _trousers –_ why did Davis kiss me; _underwear – _why did it feel so good?_

TK stood under the hot spray of water and without any warning, tears erupted from his eyes.

*** * ***

After showering and re-dressing, TK had finally begun the walk to school. Checking his phone, he noticed that he was already 40 minutes late. Luckily, he only lived a short distance away and he'd only be missing first period which was, ironically, mathematics. The whole journey had provided TK with yet more thinking time. _Man, it feels like my head's gonna blow up, _he thought as a headache began easing its way into his mind.

_Davis, _he thought, _Davis. Davis. Davis. Davis-Davis-Davis-Davis-Davis-Davis-Davis-Davis-Davis-Davis! Why can't I get that kiss out of my head? And why am I so scared all of a sudden? Did he run off because he regrets it? What would everyone do if they found out? I don't want to be disowned or disliked by anyone. I want to see Davis. I want to talk about it. I want to kiss him again. NO! Wait, do I? I wish patamon were here. _

TK was so lost in thought that he walked face-first into the wrought-iron fence, the prison-cell bars, which surrounded the school. He found himself within the seemingly ancient building just as the end-of-class bell rang.

**AN:** Next chapter will be finished soon and then the story can finally begin.


	6. Secret Admirer: Tactics

**AN:** _This one's not so nice...try not to hate me for it. _

**Chapter 6: Tactics**

_**(Kari Kamiya)**_

Kari left her English class in a hurry. She always got outstanding grades in English which unfortunately meant that she was the only one of her circle of friends in the advanced class, hence the hurrying. She hadn't heard from TK since the incident the day before - even though she'd called him half a dozen times, she hadn't been able to get through once.

Kari knew she was in love with TK. She knew that TK was not in love with her; she knew that Davis was. _What a weird triangle,_ she thought, innocent to the true severity of their situation. She joined the crowd of hustling and bustling students making their way to their next classes. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted TK entering the library. _What's he thinking, _Kari thought, _he'll be late for class._

She decided that she was going to follow TK. That way she could apologise to him and maybe he'd feel bad too and then realise that he really _was _in love with her and then he'd ask her to be his girlfriend and they'd get married and buy a puppy and have kids and be happy together forever…

The school library was quite big. Rows upon rows of bookcases containing books for every occasion divided the large room. Kari wondered if anybody had ever got lost in there before. She shuddered at the thought and slowly made her way through the maze of literature, glancing down the aisles she passed, in search of TK.

Kari was about to give up until she heard TK's voice from the other side of the bookcase she was now standing at.

"…felt something?" TK's voice was low and he sounded frustrated. Kari could hear another voice, but it was too quiet for her to make out any words.

"…!" the other voice was harsh but still inaudible.

"Then why did you kiss me?"

Kari's heart sank. She'd heard it clearly. TK was here with another girl. _TK kissed another girl, _Kari thought to herself, a tear rolled down her face, _and he…he wants to be with her and not me. _With that Kari about-turned and fled the library.

* * *

Kari stood outside her computer science class concealing all evidence of having just finished crying. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open. "Sorry I'm late," she said sweetly, flashing the teacher a wide unhappy smile as she took her usual seat beside Yolei.

"Kari," Yolei said immediately. "What's wrong?"

"You can tell there's something wrong?" Kari replied, half-chuckling and half-sobbing.

"Darn straight I can, was it that jerk Davis?!" Yolei yelled, standing up and thumping her computer's keyboard with her fist.

"Miss Inoue!" The teacher growled as he leered at Yolei.

"Sorry sir," she replied, flushing slightly. Sitting back down, she continued in a whisper, "So are you going to tell me, or am I gonna have to keep embarrassing myself to work it out on my own?"

"Well, it's TK…" Kari's face dropped and her gaze landed on the floor.

Kari explained how she'd heard TK in the library and how he was "in love" with another "girl".

"…I'd do anything for TK to fall for me," Kari concluded.

"Well, it seems to me," started Yolei, the keys clacking beneath her fingers as she did the course work, "that this girl isn't interested in TK. I also think that TK really does like you, deep down. All you gotta do is make him realise it."

"And how do I do that?" Kari asked unenthusiastically.

…

And thus was the creation of a monster, a plan so devastating that could only wreak havoc within the digidestined…

* * *

Lunch arrived sooner than expected. Kari was about to put her plan into action and she was terrified. _I don't think I can go through with this, _she thought, _what if I make things worse? _As she thought this, strong-willed, fiery Yolei passed through her head, _no, I have to do this…_

In the school lunch hall, Kari searched around for a familiar face. She and the other digidestined always ate lunch together at the same table every day so finding TK and Davis took little effort. They sat on opposite sides of the table and seemed deep in conversation. She approached them both with a smile.

"Hi guys," she waved enthusiastically as she reached them and sat down next to TK.

"Hey Kari," the boys said in unison.

"Oh, TK," Kari said, turning to face the boy beside her, "sorry about yesterday, I was being stupid and, before I forget, Yolei asked me to ask you to find Cody and meet with her in the computer room…you know the one." Kari smiled sweetly.

"Can it wait?" TK asked. "I'm real hungry."

"It seemed important," Kari said shrugging, "and you know what Yolei gets like when things don't work out the way she wants."

"Yeah, I guess," TK said, standing up. "I'll see you guys later."

After TK had left, Kari moved into his now unoccupied chair, directly opposite Davis. She looked into his chocolate brown eyes and was surprised by how bright they were. She looked into his eyes and could see raw emotion. She could hear the general rabble of students around her but everything seemed silent, she was captivated by Davis. It felt like the first time she'd actually noticed him…_What am I thinking? _Kari shook her head before putting her, well, Yolei's plan into motion.

"So…um…D-Davis," Kari stuttered.

"Yeah, Kari?" he replied, blinking expectantly.

"Would you – uh – that is, would you be m-m-my," she fumbled with the words on her tongue. This was difficult; she was surprised by how nervous she actually felt. Suddenly, out of nowhere, she blurted out, "Will you be my boyfriend?!"

Davis's mouth fell open out of shock. He wasn't saying anything though. Kari felt stupid, was she about to be rejected? Davis seemed to have to think about it. Kari hadn't expected this to be his reaction; after all he'd spent the last year pestering her to go out with him.

"Uh, sure," were the words that finally fell awkwardly from his lips.

_All I have to do now is make sure TK knows and he'll notice me for sure…_

**Tactics**

**(Davis Motomiya)**

Okay, now he felt bad. He was deaf to the noise around him as he looked at the girl in front of him, nerves shaking his whole body. He'd wanted this for at least a year now so why did he feel so disappointed all of a sudden. Was it about that thing with TK. _No, like I said, that was an accident, I was tired,_ he thought, _I dreamt about Kari during the night anyway, I was totally thinking about her the whole time…_

"So what brought this on all of a sudden?" Davis questioned, eyeing the floor.

"It just felt right, Davis," Kari replied, her eyelashes fluttering as she reached out a hand to clasp David's. "C'mon, let's go announce it to everyone."

"NO!" Davis yelled, letting go of her hand, without thinking. His face reddened as the hall went silent after his outburst. A second passed and the usual chatter had resumed. _What was I thinking, _Davis thought nervously. "I mean, I just think…is it not a little soon?"

Kari looked disappointed but quickly concealed the look with a grin.

"C'mon," she replied, taking his hand again and leading him outside.

The sun shone and all the colours of the school grounds took on their most vibrant forms. Surely this was a sign that everything was going to work out? Davis shook his head.

_I want Kari. I know I do. I always wanted her didn't I? Yeah…_

"Davis," Kari asked, tilting her head to the side, "what are you thinking about?"

"Oh," Davis blushed, "it's nothing. I'm just surprised by all this, that's all…"

Kari smiled and, taking his hands, kissed him gently on the lips. Davis's eyes shot open in shock. This was his first kiss. No. His first kiss was with…Davis suddenly had butterflies. He remembered the elevator, the feel of his wet clothes on his skin, the gentle touch of the other's hands and the taste of raw emotion as their lips had met. He could feel none of that now…

A solitary tear escaped his eye as he pushed the thought to the back of his head and he continued his kiss with Kari.

**AN: **_I'm having some major issues with my internet connection at the moment since computers detest me, uploading this chapter was a nightmare but it's really important to get this bit out of the way. The next chapter will be online ASAP. Thanks for bearing with me... _


	7. Steppin' Out: The Child of Hope

**Chapter 7: The Child of Hope**

**(**Takeru Takaishi**)**

The computer room was empty. TK hadn't managed to find Cody so he had gone to there alone to meet with Yolei. However, the girl was nowhere to be seen. Was it possible that "the computer room" was code? Was he supposed to go to the digital world? No, that made no sense: not during school time.

TK flung himself onto a nearby computer chair and found himself staring at the ceiling. He'd talked to Davis in the library but it had been too soon and it had almost lead to an argument. Then, not even 10 minutes ago, he had been speaking to Davis, mostly apologising and they'd ended up joking about it, they were definitely on good terms.

TK felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders: he and Davis were friends – no more; no less. As he counted the ceiling tiles, he thought back to the morning's events. He laughed to himself about how stupid it all was, he laughed as he remembered how fast his heart had been beating and how he'd handled the aftermath. However, when he remembered the touch of Davis's hands and the feeling as their lips had made contact, TK's stomach fluttered and his heart sank: they were just friends.

TK got bored of waiting, stood up and strolled casually to the window. The sky was so clear and everything seemed to stand out. He looked down at the students in the grounds: some lay sprawled out on the grass, enjoying the sun while it lasted; some could be seen kicking a ball on the school field; others were simply standing in their groups chatting, most using elaborate hand gestures of some form or another and, it was apparent, everyone was enjoying themselves.

That's when he saw them. Davis and Kari were standing on the concrete away from the other students. _I guess even they couldn't stay inside with this weather, _TK smiled admiring how normal his friends were.

TK continued to watch over his friends but nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to see…The whole world seemed to be moving in slow motion. The kiss he was witnessing seemed never-ending.

TK was hurt. He could feel his insides shattering and all he wanted to do was yell and tear the computers from the desks and throw them across the room, he was so frustrated. _I have no right to act like this, _TK thought, looking at the floor…

At that moment, TK decided to step back and let Kari and Davis be together. He didn't trust himself to be around Kari after what he just saw and he didn't think he could bear the pain of Davis's company. TK had one last glance outside before leaving.

* * *

TK was at the school gates. He still had classes to attend but he was in no mood to attend them. Nobody would be in his house; nobody ever was, so he decided that's where he'd go. The sun was making him sweat so took off his jumper, sighing with relief as the air made contact with his arms. The entire journey, his eyes never broke contact with the pavement.

Before he knew it, his apartment building stood, looking down on him. He bypassed the elevator and took the stairs, 3 at a time. By the time he'd reached his floor he was out of breath and panting heavily. He didn't care though and he covered the space between the stairs and his front door in a heartbeat. The key slid into the lock with ease and TK found himself in his bedroom seconds later. Without thinking, TK lay on his bed with his back to the door and covered his face with a pillow.

Then the tears started.

_This is it,_ thought TK, _I'm gonna have to stay away from Davis now…and Kari…hell, I might as well just stay away from Cody and Yolei as well…_

TK was being irrational. He knew that but he felt, somewhere deep inside, that he deserved this; that he deserved to be punished.

First day 

_TK's POV_

_I've just woken up. I never even bothered to dress for bed last night; I'm still wearing yesterday's clothes. I stopped crying around 4 o'clock, I think, which only added up to about an hour – it was the longest hour of my life though. _

_I can't get the picture out of my head either! Every time I close my eyes I see them together…and it sucks! I don't want to go to school but I'm going to have to sooner or later so it might as well be sooner. I swing my legs over the side of my bed and sit up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I can hear "her" busying around in the living room, pretending she has stuff to do before work. Because that's all she ever does: work, work, work, work, work! _

_I look like a zombie, I'm sure, as I stumble towards the bathroom (something which would usually make me laugh). I'm not laughing now._

_* * *_

_My shower lasted 57 minutes. It took 40 minutes to will myself to get dressed and a further 40 minutes to actually do it. I'm going to be late for school. _

_* * *_

_It's lunch time. I avoid the gang completely and sit outside by the football field, alone. _

_* * *_

_The school day is almost over. I've been ignoring the teacher for the last 30 minutes. He's asking me a question but I'm not listening. He's given up and asked someone else. _

_10 seconds to the bell. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Nothing happened. Stupid clock. I tear my eyes away from it and stare out at the rain punishing everyone for forgetting about its existence. The bell's ringing? My class is empty…except for me, of course. I stand up to leave and see, out the corner of my eye, my "friends" standing outside in the unrelenting downpour. I sit back down…_

* * *

A month and a half has passed.

_I don't have to put all my effort into motivating myself in the mornings anymore. I haven't spoken to my friends since that day…actually, I don't think I've uttered a single word since that day..._

TK's eyes opened. He looked at the alarm clock on the bed-side table. It was 7am. It was always 7am. He pushed himself out of bed and, without thinking, lifted his phone and saw that the voicemails had continued to accumulate: Kari, Yolei, Cody, Matt, Sora, Tai – they'd all left countless messages. TK held no intentions of responding to any of them or even listening to them for that matter.

_Who'd have guessed that I'm the child of hope. I scoff at the idea as I finally tear the crest from around my neck and throw it across the room. I hear the glass shatter._

Just then, the green digivice on the table began whirring and a bright light erupted from the corner of his room where his crest had landed. Before he was even aware of it, TK was no longer in his bedroom…


	8. Steppin' Out: Stepping In

**Chapter 8: Stepping In**

**(**Davis Motomiya**)**

_Okay, I won the girl of my dreams so why does it feel like I've lost everything? We've been together for a month – and I think she really likes me – but somehow, whenever I'm with Kari, I feel guilty, like I shouldn't be doing those things with her, like I'm already bound to someone else. I don't get it. This is what I wanted – no – this is what I want. Isn't it? I'm always distracted too, well, more so than usual – something's missing in my life…_

Davis woke up sweating. He didn't know where he was but was aware of an increasingly large problem - he'd awoken from a _very_ good dream. He didn't quite remember it but he knew he'd have given anything to go back to it. He looked to his surroundings. He was on the floor of a very dark bedroom, the walls of which were almost entirely masked by male rock stars winking or smiling perfect smiles. Davis sat up and stretched, exposing his toned, shirtless chest as he stifled a yawn.

He was suddenly aware of another figure as he heard a yawn come from the bed beside him. Then the events of the night before came back to him. Matt had thrown a party and almost everyone had gone. Some drinks were had and some clothes were lost, mostly those belonging to Davis, but that's all he could remember for the moment.

His initial thought was that he had gone back to Kari's after the party but he changed his mind when he remembered that she hadn't gone. He smiled at that thought, _what a _brilliant _boyfriend I am…_

With his "problem" gone, Davis kicked the covers off and leaned up to look at the sleeping figure on the bed. All he could see was the back of a very blond head. Davis felt his pulse rise as he inquired, "TK?" He heard a grunt as the blond boy turned round in his sleep causing Davis to sigh: it was Matt. He was also suddenly aware of another figure in the bed. This time, however, there was no mistaking the fact that it was Tai whose messy hair was splayed over the pillow.

Davis watched the pair as they slept, breathing in time with each other until Tai turned to Matt and strung an arm around him. As he did this, Davis saw Matt smile gently before turning round to return the hug and that's how they slept, entwined in each other's limbs. Davis was amazed by how much Matt resembled his younger brother when he was asleep and this thought reminded him of his dream for some reason and suddenly his "problem" was back and he found himself beneath the covers again. Only wearing his underwear, Davis didn't want to take the risk of anyone walking in on him like that.

_Now whose room am I in? Is this really still Matt's house?_ Davis pondered as he lay there looking at the ceiling, his arms folded behind his head. His thoughts drifted to his girlfriend and he felt that guilty feeling in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't supposed to feel this way about Kari, was he? He then thought about TK, he hadn't seen him in such a long time, it was almost as if he'd vanished into thin air and Davis surprised himself by how much he missed the boy. His mind stretched back to the elevator-kiss. And he felt his guilt transform into a swarm of butterflies. He swallowed hard and shook the thought away, shook the feeling away.

_I do hope he's okay though, I don't think anyone has heard from him. I wish he'd came to the party, it would have been so much more fun, _he thought and blushed as it occurred to him that his friend would have seen him in his underwear. _Why do I feel embarrassed? I didn't care if anyone saw me last night…_

Davis groaned as his phone started ringing. The name _Kari Kamiya _flashed up on the screen in small letters. He groaned again, more audibly this time, which woke Matt.

"Davis, will you shut the-" Matt moaned grumpily, "-fuck up?"

"Sorry Matt," Davis clenched his teeth as his finger hovered over the answer button. He knew Kari would have something to say about not being invited – which she was but it wasn't good enough for Matt to invite her, she'd wanted Davis to invite her with him as well.

**(**Yamato Ishida**)**

Just then, a flashing light was apparent in the corner and a high-pitched alarm sounded throughout the room. Matt sat up to yell at Davis, "Didn't you hear m-" But the burgundy haired boy was nowhere to be seen. His phone was on the floor where he had been laying only a few seconds ago.

"Um, Tai," Matt started, "Tai…Tai…TAI WAKE UP!"

Startled, Tai sat bolt upright, his heart racing from shock. "What? What's up?" he asked, panicking. "Are you alright?" Tai paused for a moment to think. "Are you naked as too, or is it just me?"

Matt sighed, _why does he never take anything seriously? Does he honestly think I'd wake him up for _that? Matt smiled at thought, he would, in actual fact, have woken Tai for precisely _that._ He was also slightly satisfied at knowing he wasn't the only one without any clothes on, even more satisfied knowing that it was Tai next to him – not that he'd ever admit to it.

"Hey you're blushing," Tai said pointing to the blond boy's face, looking smug.

"That's because I have a naked lunatic in my bed," Matt replied through his teeth, without looking at the boy beside him however, from the corner of his eye, he saw Tai's smile fade. _Aw shit, you blew it again, _he told himself mentally. "What I mean is, Davis just disappeared."

"What do you mean disappeared?" Tai asked, confused.

"I mean," Matt said, getting agitated, "he was here one minute and the next he was gone."

"You don't think he maybe just, y'know, left?" Tai yawned.

"Nah, his clothes are still in the corner."

"Looks like we have a problem then…" Tai began, "…Hey! You still haven't answered my question yet…"

The blush crept back onto Matt's face. _Stupid Tai. _


	9. Emotions

**A/N: **Hey, sorry it's taken me so long to update, I kept changing my mind about this chapter so it was a nightmare to get through. I'm also thinking of branching the story out later on and focusing on more than just Davis/TK so I've included some other character dramas to see what you all think.

**Chapter 9: Emotions**

_**(**__Takeru Takaishi__**)**_

_Where am I, _TK thought to himself as his eyes fluttered open and he found himself face down on the ground inhaling soil and dust. It was dark – _how can it be so dark this early, _he questioned_ - _and he could feel a breeze on the back of his neck. Turning to lay on his back, he saw that he was in a cave.

He pushed himself up onto his feet and looked to his surroundings. There wasn't anything remarkable about them: a few dull, grey stones lay scattered on the ground; the roof was jagged and sharp, uneven rocks clung dangerously to it and there was a faint light streaming in from his left side though the entrance, he could see, was quite a long distance away.

_**(**__Davis Motomiya__**)**_

Davis was falling. He'd reappeared, fully clothed, on a tree branch in the digital world which had snapped from the sudden pressure of his weight. He landed with a dull thud on the digital forest floor. The morning light shone through the leaves overhead giving the boy's surroundings a faint green glow. Davis stood up, rubbing his posterior where he'd landed and heaved a heavy sigh.

"Why am I here, again?" Davis said aloud though nobody would hear him. He had never been to the digital world alone before, he didn't even have Veemon with him so he felt even more exposed and unsafe. "At least I had TK last time."

Davis's mind drifted back to the last time he'd been transported to the digital world, after his fight with TK. The memory was surprisingly pleasant, Davis realised, as he felt a longing to re-experience it. His mind lingered on waking up, that one time, with TK in his arms and suddenly Davis's heart was hammering in his chest; his stomach doing back flips. He then thought about their return and how he'd kissed the other boy in the elevator and finally his heart sank as he remembered that it had also been the day he and Kari got together. _No! _Davis thought to himself_. That's a __**good**__ thing._

He bit his lip as he hesitated, "I'm not into TK."

However his body seemed to disagree. Just saying the blond boy's name had been enough to set off another high pulse; announcing that he wasn't "into TK" had been enough to set off his tear ducts. _What am I saying? Stop fucking lying to yourself, Davis! I AM into TK. He's all I think about, all I've thought about since..._He lost his train of thought as the morning's glow faded rapidly to darkness as bullet-sized raindrops began to fall from the purple clouds which had formed above him.

_**(**__Kari Kamiya__**)**_

Kari woke up to the sound of her alarm. _"Who sets an alarm at the weekend?" _she could hear the would-be remarks of her peers in her head. She ignored them as she stretched before getting up. She was still "angry" at Davis for not escorting her to Matt's party. No, what was it Yolei had said? She was supposed to be angry about something else, she was sure. "I give up." Kari sighed to herself. She hated what she was doing. It wasn't fair to Davis, it wasn't fair to TK and, most of all, it wasn't fair to herself.

She stood before the pink wall opposite her bed. A single photograph was pinned there. It had been taken on one of the first meetings of the original digidestined that year. She smiled as her eyes moved over each of their faces: Matt stood with his arm around his girlfriend Sora's waist, his expression blank as always; Mimi stood in the centre with Izzy, a beaming grin present on her face as she was glad to have been in Japan that particular weekend and Tai and TK pulled abstract faces at the always oblivious Joe who was pushing up his glasses. Kari sighed as she looked at the one she admired the way she'd always looked at him, with respect, firstly, but also with pure desire.

She couldn't believe she'd got herself into all of this over a crush: her relationship with Davis, which she wasn't serious about and her "love" for TK, which – in all honesty – would never be any different for the brotherly love she had for Tai!

She'd convinced herself for years that it was TK she was in love with because she knew it would be less hurtful than the truth, since the one she truly loved would never reciprocate the emotion.

_**(**__Tai Kamiya__**)**_

Tai was still in Matt's bed. The other boy had gone off to shower and get dressed leaving the brown haired teenager to think. Despite his optimistic and up-beat personality, Tai had a lot of hidden feelings which were far from optimistic or up-beat.

Regret had been big on his mind recently, especially where his best friend was concerned. After everything the two boys had been through together it was only natural that they would become close. However, Tai craved more than Matt's friendship and he'd had so many opportunities to reveal his feelings but was always too afraid to do anything about it. Each time an opportunity would arise, he'd make another excuse not to do it. _He'd never feel the same way anyway. _Although his feelings for Matt remained, he was too late. Matt had Sora now.

This thought pained Tai slightly and he could feel himself losing his calm. Getting up, he put on his clothes which had been discarded at the foot of the bed. His thoughts were still on Matt as the blond re-entered the bedroom. Tai, who had been lost in his own little world of _what-ifs _and had been too close to breaking down, put on a brave face as he acknowledged the other boy's presence.

"Hey," he said, his smile concealing that awful regret. He considered just blurting everything out right then and there but held his tongue: sure he was sad that he'd missed his chance with Matt but his friend was happy and he'd never do anything to take that away.

"Good morning," Matt laughed. "Again."

Tai chuckled before changing the subject, "So what are we gonna do about Davis?"

_**(**__Takeru Takaishi__**)**_

TK stood at the mouth of the cave looking out onto the almost picturesque forest. "Wow." His voice sounded alien to him and his throat felt oddly dry. He coughed to clear his throat just as thunder roared in the skies above him, causing him to jump.

The sky was a deep purple and rain fell violently, punishing the ground. "There's no way I can go out in that," he muttered to himself as he glanced down at his clothing which was suited for much more pleasant weather. He looked up at the spiky roof of the cave; he didn't want to stay there: it felt like a potential death-trap but he didn't want to brave the storm either. He was afraid of thunder and lightning, just standing and looking out at the extreme conditions was making him shiver. He retreated back into the cave to wait out the storm thinking that it would allow him to think of a plan to get home anyway.

_I sure wish Davis was here, _he thought idly as he sat on the ground against the cave-wall before mentally slapping himself. _Stop thinking about Davis! _It was no use though, he was entirely besotted. He sighed heavily and a wide smile appeared on his face and, before he knew it he couldn't help but laugh. _What am I turning into?_

_**(**__Davis Motomiya__**)**_

_I need to get outta the rain! _Davis was totally saturated by rain as he ran through the forest seeking shelter. He'd been running for what felt like a life time and had to stop to catch his breath. It hurt as the rain bounced off his skin but he was exhausted and considered giving up on his shelter-hunt and just dealing with the consequences. He leaned against a tree, shivering uncontrollably. It was by pure chance that he saw, from the corner of his eye, a gap.

In a large rock formation, he could see a wide crack, _is that a cave?_ He didn't have time to think before he burst into a sprint and dived into its depths.

**A/N: **The next chapter is going to be purely Davis/TK since I feel like I'm neglecting them in their own story... :P


	10. Steppin' Out: Acceptance

**A/N: **This one is a little bit sexual. Just a tiny bit. Not enough to have to change the age rating but enough to make me want to (just so I can write it :P).

**Chapter 10: Acceptance**

_**(**__Davis and TK__**)**_

TK stood up as he heard the blundering footsteps as another figure barged into the cave, panting heavily. TK's back was stiff from the uneven surface of the wall he'd been leaning on as he stood silently on the spot with his defences up – he couldn't afford to run into trouble. He listened carefully. He could still hear the rain battering down outside but, inside, the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the cave.

His heart rate increased as he realised the sound was moving towards him. He had been standing still so he wouldn't be heard but now he found that he could no longer move from fear. Closer and closer, the sound approached. Stealing a glance, TK noticed that "the sound" was coming from the silhouette of a person.

_Davis? _TK thought, shocked. "Davis, is that really you?" The other boy looked startled as he'd heard his name but that momentary fear was immediately replaced with a smile upon noticing TK.

"TK!" Davis yelled, running to close the distance between them and throwing his arms around the other boy. TK laughed at Davis's never dying enthusiasm, one of the things he's always loved about the burgundy haired boy.

"Davis, you're all wet," TK complained jokingly, wriggling out from the other boy's embrace. As soon as they had separated, Davis's joy had been replaced with a scowl as his fist connected with TK's shoulder. "Hey! What was that fo-"

"Where the hell have you been?" Davis interjected. "You've had everyone worried half to death!"

"S-sorry," TK said, his gaze dropped to the ground. Davis seemed to notice that TK was upset and, therefore, genuinely sorry as he wrapped his arms around the blond boy for a second time, only this time there was more emotion behind it. "Thanks, Davis," TK sighed as they separated again.

A flash of lightning lit up the cave as a roar of thunder boomed in the sky causing TK to jump and throw himself into Davis's arms, knocking them both to the ground. With his arms around Davis's neck, TK buried his face in the other's shoulder as the storm's rage intensified.

Davis could feel TK shaking and suddenly his heart sank, TK was really afraid. He was also quite heavy on top of him but Davis didn't care as he held TK close to him, comforting the other boy, whispering "Don't worry TK."

"I-I'm s-sorry Davis," TK said, he was embarrassing himself, as he moved his weight off of the other and, instead, lay beside him, breaking the contact they'd been sharing. Davis turned on his side and put his arm around TK, re-establishing the contact they'd been sharing. _Why are you doing this,_ thought TK,_ you're making it hard not to love you._

"I missed you," Davis said. His heart began to beat faster as he realised that this was it: he was going to tell TK how he felt and he was terrified.

"You had Kari," TK said, brutally, causing Davis's heart to drop. He hadn't known TK knew about that.

"B-but i-it hasn't been Kari I've b-been thinking about," Davis stuttered, "it's been you TK, it's always been you." Davis let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. "Ever since that first day you came to our school, I felt it but I guess," Davis seemed lost for words, "I guess I just didn't know what it meant."

TK opened his mouth to speak but closed it again as Davis continued, "And you knew Kari and I thought I was jealous because I liked Kari but, when I think about it, I hadn't thought of her like that before you came along. It's always been you TK."

Davis felt a tear trickle down his face but he wasn't sad. He was relieved to have everything out in the open; he was relieved to finally stop lying to himself. TK, on the other hand, could not believe what he was hearing, "What are you saying, Davis?"

"I'm s-saying," Davis said, "that I – uh – I lo...I love you TK."

TK had acted before he'd even had time to think: his lips were on Davis's whose eyes were wide with shock for a moment before he closed them and returned the kiss. It was brief but long enough to convey the message which TK repeated aloud, "I love you too, Davis."

Davis moved so that he was lying, leaning on his elbows, over TK. His face lowered until their lips bet again. With his arms around Davis's neck, TK pulled the other boy closer, deepening their kiss, opening his mouth giving entrance to Davis's tongue. The kiss intensified as they explored each other's mouths until they had to stop to breathe.

Davis looked into TK's deep ocean-blue eyes and finally accepted that this was what he truly wanted: TK. "TK," he began, "I'm sorry about-"

"-Don't be," TK silenced the other boy with his words. "You were confused, heck, so was I! At least we're…y'know…" TK blushed.

Davis smiled again as he descended onto TK for another kiss. TK rolled them over so he was now straddling Davis's waist, never breaking the kiss until, again, they had to breathe. TK sat up, looking down at the boy beneath him. He could feel that, like himself, Davis was very "excited". _We can't get too carried away, _thought TK as he tried to fight the lust he was feeling. He moved slightly to take the pressure off of his knee which resulted in a moan from Davis as TK had accidentally brushed up against his arousal causing Davis to blush as the noise escaped his throat. The combination of both caused TK to lose all self control…

**A/N: **The pace seems to be going rather fast. Sorry if that annoys anyone. Please let me know your thoughts and such. Thanks to anyone who reads. Super-Thanks to anyone who likes :P


	11. Steppin' Out: Waking Up Again

**Chapter 11: Waking Up in a Different Place From Where We Fell Asleep Yet Again.**

**(**Davis and TK**)**

TK awoke but his eyes remained firmly shut. The damp, dusty smell of the cave was gone and the booming clashes of thunder he'd fallen asleep to could no longer be heard. Instead, he could hear only the steady breaths of another; he could feel the warm, naked torso pressed against his pale skin; tan arms holding him from behind.

Slowly the blond boy eased one eye open, hoping against all odds that this was not just another dream, that this was reality. At once a single blue eye took in his surroundings and the other shot open in realisation as his heart sank. The cave was gone and he saw now that he was lying on the deep blue carpet of his bedroom, staring at the blank wall – it had felt so real. _Wait, _TK thought as he realised_, it __feels__ so real._

TK was aware immediately that the breath on the back of his neck, the fingers that were absently tracing circles over his stomach and the body heat from behind him had not left when he opened his eyes – hope flooded his body – he wasn't dreaming.

He glanced down at his body: he was wearing only his underwear. He turned slowly to face the boy behind him, his hand finding its way to the tanned boy's waist. He propped himself up on his elbow and used his free hand to brush the red-brown hair from the other's face, silently admiring Davis's sleeping features. He placed a soft kiss on the sleeping boy's lips before pushing up from the floor.

Now standing he could see from his alarm clock that it was, as always, 7am. TK chuckled lightly to himself before locating his mobile. It hadn't been used in such a long time so it didn't come as a surprise to him that it was covered in dust which he blew off gently before switching it on. As he'd expected, his inbox was full but he hadn't found his phone to check text messages.

Just as he selected the phone book option, it started flashing and rang loudly, waking Davis up. TK answered quickly, realising it was his brother.

"Finally!" He heard Matt's voice cry from the other end. "Do you know how long I've been trying to get you?"

"Matt," TK started, "You sound tired."

"That's 'cause I lost sleep over you! Mom called and said you never went home last night! Where are you?"

"I'm in my bedroom…" TK said, noticing that Davis was up and walking towards him, rubbing his eyes and adjusting the height of his boxers. Davis yawned loudly as he reached TK's side. "I'm fine, Matt, I swear."

"Alright, little brother, I believe you. Anyway, you haven't heard from Davis, have you?" Matt inquired. "He disap-"

"Davis is fine," TK responded without thinking as Davis was now hugging him from behind and pressing kisses to his neck. TK moaned slightly as Davis's exposed upper body met his own. "I – uh – gotta – um…"

TK could almost hear Matt smirk on the other end of the line, "No worries, TK."

TK's heart leapt – just how much did Matt know? "Matt it's not what you think –"

"Say no more, TK," Matt said, "see ya later bro'."

And with that, his older brother hung up. TK looked at the phone with disbelief. Surely Matt couldn't have possibly known what was happening from that. Could he? TK was so lost in thought that it took him a while to notice that Davis had fallen asleep, standing, leaning against him with his chin secured on the blonde's shoulder, drooling slightly. _That should be gross, _TK thought_, but I don't care…_

TK, gently yet quickly turned to face the other boy which resulted in Davis collapsing on top of him. Landing in a heap, Davis woke up and TK yelped as his head collided with the floor.

The resounding thud had been loud and before he knew it, TK could hear footsteps in the hall outside his room.

They hadn't even had a chance to move before the door had been flung wide open. TK stared, open-mouthed at the two figures in the doorway as Davis untangled his limbs from TKs. "Kari?" TK said after a few seconds, "Izzy? What are you guys doing here?"

Kari's mouth hung open in an expression which resembled how TK had looked moments before. Kari looked as if she might say something but the voice which was heard was Izzy's. "We came here when everyone was looking for you in case you came back. And it worked…I think." Izzy's eyes shifted from TK to Davis and back to TK again as if he were trying to work out a puzzle. "Where were you guys anyway?"

"It's a long story," TK replied, looking at Davis whose eyes were fixed on the floor to avoid meeting Kari's which seemed to be waiting to make contact with him, instead they connected with TK's. The girl knew, in an instant what was going on. TK knew this and he felt his heart rate pick up as his nerves started to get the better of him – his eyes never left Kari's. He was surprised, however, when her mouth lifted into a smile and she ran towards the two boys on the floor and flung her arms around their necks in an over-powering hug.

"Why didn't you guys tell me?!" she said as she released them from her hold and sat back on her knees.

Neither of the boys had expected this reaction from Kari. Did she really know what was going on? TK was starting to doubt it. "I mean," she continued, failing to notice that Izzy had returned to the living room, "I always thought you two would look so cute together!" _Then again, _Tk thought, _maybe she does know what she's talking about._

"You mean," Davis started, timidly, "you're not mad?"

"How could I be mad?" Kari cried. "I love you guys." After which she launched herself onto the two boys again, hugging them way too tight for comfort.

Before any of them knew it they were on the floor laughing as they talked. Kari told them that she knew deep down that they were meant to be together. Davis then proceeded to tell her that she was too into yaoi for her own good. "But are you sure you aren't mad about the whole, y'know," Davis said, "leaving you thing?"

Kari shook her head, "I saw the way you looked at TK that day in the lunch hall. You never looked at me like that." Davis looked apologetic but Kari held up her hand, "Please don't be sorry! It wasn't fair for me to use you like that I – I – I like someone else…"

The first thought that crossed her mind was that it was TK and he subconsciously took the blonde boy's hand. The look in Kari's eyes, however, told him that it wasn't TK.

**A/N: I'm aware it all seems "too perfect" just now. I'm planning to write a Kari chapter or maybe a Tai/Matt one soon since I feel like they have issues too which need to be expressed. :P Again thanks to all readers and please give me your thoughts etc etc :)**


	12. Steppin' Out: Epilogue

_**AN: I haven't updated this in a while. Sorry readers. This story has come to its end and I was sad to let it go so here's this very, very quick closing chapter.**_

**Chapter 12: Epilogue**

"TK," Davis said, taking his boyfriend's hand as they stood on the flat roof of the blonde's apartment building, the sun setting in the distance painting their town a soft orange colour.

TK sighed as he took in the sight, "Yeah, Davis?" He turned to face the taller boy who took his other hand.

"I – er –," he looked down at his shoes, turning red in the face, slightly. "I, I l-love you." Davis's heart was beating fast, threatening to burst from his chest. Blue eyes found their counter-points and the blond boy captured his boyfriend's lips in a kiss. When they finally parted, TK lifted their inter-locked hands to his chest, turning them so the back of Davis's hand was pressed to his heart. There Davis could feel the steady thump-thump, thump-thump which echoed his own.

Looking up into his chocolate-brown eyes, TK replied, "I know." Smiling, he let his right hand drop and he and Davis stood there, side by side, enjoying the sunset. TK wrapped his hand around Davis's arm and leaned his blond head on the other boy's shoulder.

Almost as soon as his head was down, it jumped back up again.

"You know I love you too right?"

* * *

_**AN: my bad attempt at a cute epilogue is over; my first ever fic is over. I feel a little sad actually. **_

_**To anyone who liked it: sorry it's a bit of a crappy ending but – to those same people - **_

_**I started the sequel last night… which is what provoked me to close this one up. It is called "Sprinting Out" and the first chapter will be up within a few days. **_

_Time has progressed._

_How will their friends react?_

_What do their parents have to say?_

_Change is coming…_

…_but how will it affect the relationship?_

_**Thanks to anyone who read all the way through and I hope I can convince you to read the next one**_


End file.
